Freshers: how to be a halls hero

When you arrive in student halls, it can all be a bit of an intimidating experience.

You’ll meet so many colourful, confident characters, it’s easy to feel like you’re not going to be able to raise your head above the game and prove to everyone that you’re a pretty cool person to be around.

Luckily, you know us. And we know how to stand out in the best way possible.

Here’s the secret to becoming the ultimate halls hero. And believe us – it’s got nothing to do with implementing an effective dishes rota.

Always be ready to party

This is crucial.

A true halls hero is the life of the party, not the ‘I’m just going to stay in and watch Bake Off’ drip.

Every opportunity to socialise is an opportunity to bond, and the more bonds you make, the more likely it is that you’ll be treated with the veneration of a true halls hero.

So less Netflix, and more nightclubs, okay?

Share food

As a student, there will be times when the most important thing to you in the world is food. For example, when you get back from the club at 4am and you’re desperate for something greasy to soak up those 2-4-1 Pornstar Martinis.

Unfortunately, there’s no guarantee that a takeaway will be open now, and at that moment it will feel as if you are enduring a living nightmare.

Then, you remember you’ve got a block of cheese and a bag of Doritos in your cupboard. You were saving them for a quiet night in, but these are desperate times.

Out of nowhere, you whip up a big ol’ batch of hot nachos and save the entire evening. Your sacrifice will be literally be remembered for years to come.

Learn all the drinking games

Nothing kickstarts a proper session of pre-drinking than a good old drinking game.

And believe us, no-one is cooler or more heroic than the bold individual who leads the action.

This is where you come in. You’ve got to be the one to lead your hallmates, for they are weak-minded and need your guidance.

Learn a wide range of drinking games in order to satisfy different crowds (After all, you don’t want to get into the ‘never have I ever’ material with a bunch of people you know are a little coy, right?).

Once you’re at a point where you can confidently walk into any room and know exactly which game to play, you’re one step closer to becoming the ultimate halls hero.

Make time for everyone

Here’s the deal.

A true halls hero is a hero for everyone. You can’t just impress a close circle of friends and expect to go down in history as the saviour of the party, right?

That’s why it’s vital that you make time for everyone you meet.

Form close relationships. Play a marathon session of Minecraft with those greasy long-haired dudes. Prove yourself an athlete with the Sports Soc crew. For Pete’s sake, star in a musical theatre revue with the Musical Theatre Society if needs be!

The bottom line is, you’ve got to be a friend to everyone. Sticking to a close circle of mates won’t make you immortal. That only worked for one guy ever, and he ended up getting crucified.

Respect your course

This step is a tricky one.

Amidst all the partying and socialising you’ll be doing, a true halls hero will still find the time to actually get on with some of their workload. Why?

Because ANYONE can be a slacker party guy. And don’t get us wrong, people love that person who is absolutely always ready to party.

But a true halls hero commands genuine respect from their peers by being a half-decent student as well. You want to set a shining example of well-rounded awesomeness, and striking the balance between study and leisure is doing exactly that.